On Brunch | At Westville East

Trevor Leb is a brunch aficionado in the East Village and founder of the popular New York brunch blog, I Heart Brunch.

There are certain places you can’t help but love. You know, like your go-to bar with the really good vibe or the neighborhood restaurant with that dish that you love. For me, Westville East is one of those places, especially for weekend brunch.

With roots in the West Village, Westville East has been turning first time customers into fans since opening on the East side in 2007. The restaurant’s friendly and welcoming staff adds to its theme of “simplicity,” which shines through in both its fresh eclectic American cuisine and its décor. Small antiques and posters from yesteryear delicately accent the interior space, while the food highlights locally sourced, high quality ingredients prepared in a simple and tasteful manner.
Nowhere is this more evident than Westville’s market sides. Literally dozens of seasonal vegetable side dishes prepared in a variety of ways including things like cauliflower Dijonaise, green peas with shallots and bacon, and roasted beets with goat cheese. Because I’m a sucker for fresh asparagus I always lean toward the lemon grilled asparagus with parmesan cheese, which is also available with sunny side up eggs as a brunch entrée.

Westville’s brunch entrées are reasonably priced from about $9-12 and focus on simple savory selections like eggs with vegetables or a country-style meat, salads and sandwiches. Chalkboards along the walls display rotating brunch specials like Westville Breakfast, their spin on Eggs Benedict. Served on a Portuguese muffin, the Westville Breakfast includes Canadian bacon, sautéed arugula and two poached eggs all topped off with a subtle red pepper aïoli.

The combination of the Portuguese muffin, a larger, softer and slightly sweeter English muffin, and the red pepper aioli definitely makes the dish more delicate than the eggs Benedict you’re likely to find at your average corner bistro. Add Westville’s creamy potato hash, which rivals some of the best mashed potatoes I’ve had, and you’ve got yourself a refined, yet filling brunch.

Trevor LebA Cappuccino Dragon.

For the java enthusiasts, Westville’s quality and care is evident in its espresso bar as well. Brazilian sourced Arabica beans are brewed to perfection providing a strong, yet smooth flavor. I got a latte and didn’t even add any sweetener like I usually do because the coffee was that flavorful. Bonus points for the artistry shown by the barista (who happens to be one of Westville’s partners), who meticulously creates designs like fire breathing dragons in cappuccinos and other foamy drinks.

Although hardly high profile, Westville’s brunch has not gone unnoticed by those in the neighborhood. It can often get crowded, especially in nice weather, so get their early or be prepared to wait 20-30 minutes or longer for larger parties. If you’re a party of two, you can often avoid long waits by opting to sit at the bar, but no matter where you sit, you’re likely to come away from Westville East with a new go-to East Village brunch spot.

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